Howard double delights Derby

by NEIL HALLAM

Last updated at 14:09 18 March 2007

Derby 3 Cardiff 1

Mrs. Nicola Howard can look forward to three weeks of extra help with nappy changing and bottle-feeding duties as a result of a harsh decision that places a major question mark against Derby’s ability to cling on to one of the automatic promotion places.

Husband Steve, arguably the biggest contributor to Derby’s revival this season, won the ball in what looked a clean tackle on Peter Whittingham in the 41st minute but was booked by referee Martin Atkinson and must now serve a two match ban.

The powerfully-built striker hurried off after the game to be at his wife’s bedside as she went into labour with their second child but admitted he was “not best pleased” that the booking – his tenth of the season – would leave him free for extra stints of nappy changing.

“I had to do plenty of it when our four year old son, Evan, was born and since it will be quite a while before I can play again I can expect to do a lot more this time,” he explained.

“The baby was due last Wednesday so it was touch and go whether I was going to be here.

“I thought the challenge that got me booked was okay but the way the game is going these days you can’t really tackle anybody without taking a risk.

“I don’t believe that is good for the game but we all know the situation and I'm annoyed with myself for giving the ref the chance to wave a card.”

Howard insisted that Derby’s heavy investment in new talent during the January transfer window would give them “plenty of cover” during his suspension but finding somebody to score as freely and lead the line as strongly will not be easy.

Apart from an earlier one-match ban, Howard has played every minute of Derby’s league season and the two goals he scored in what ended up as a comfortable win over Cardiff took his tally to 16 in the Championship.

The loss of his power and courage as target man could be the biggest blow to Derby’s ambitions and although former Manchester City striker John Macken can play that role, he has yet to score in five appearances since arriving on loan

from Crystal Palace.

The other candidates to replace Howard are lightweight “poacher” types such as Paul Peschisolido and Arturo Lupoli while Giles Barnes is most effective breaking forward from midfield but Derby manager Billy Davies insisted: “These things happen and you just have to cope with them.

“Of course it’s disappointing to lose a tremendous competitor like Steve. He’s been a wonderful asset to this club, on the field and in the dressing room, but we have plenty of forwards who can step up to the plate.”

Cardiff, pushed back out of the play-off frame, had problems of their own with the loss of 21 goal top scorer Michael Chopra with a hamstring strain suffered as he fired against the cross bar in the 35th minute.

Howard scored from the spot to put Derby ahead after a harsh handball decision by the referee but Paul Parry seized on a blunder from full-back Jay McEveley to put Cardiff level within two minutes.

Barnes showed why he is being rated at £5-million with a speedy surge from midfield and a composed finish to restore Derby’s lead soon after the break and their superiority was underlined on the hour when Howard finished clinically from Craig Fagan’s cross with Cardiff appealing for hands against the striker.

“Explain to me how handling the ball at one end is a penalty but handling at the other end to set up a goal doesn’t matter,” asked Cardiff manager Dave Jones.

“One way or another it was a disappointing afternoon but we won’t know just how big our problems are until we find out how bad Chopra’s injury is.

“With our small squad we always have to consider whether we need to reinforce things but you can get asked ridiculous fees of £150,000 or more just to borrow players these days and that is out of the question.”